Aircraft Engineering

Duration: MSc - 3 years part-time, PgDip - 2 ½ years part-time, PgCert - 2 years part-time.

Course overview:

In today's aerospace industry engineers need to develop a broad range of skills so that they can interact effectively with other disciplines. Furthermore the product lifecycle for air-vehicles has become so long that it is no longer possible for engineers to acquire complete experience of the design process in the workplace.

Our MSc has been designed to address these needs by providing a course aimed specifically at employees in the aircraft industry. It is designed to educate and train engineers to acquire and then exercise a broad range of design and manufacturing skills, knowledge and business awareness of the airplane design cycle. The course structure allows delegates to continue in full-time employment while they are studying. 

The MSc has been accredited by the Royal Aeronautical Society and the Institute of Mechanical Engineers as contributing towards the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered Engineer.

Structure:

Attendance at Cranfield is required for up to four weeks of lectures per year plus regular one-day meetings. The remainder of the course is undertaken flexibly in the student's own time.

The MSc course consists of three elements: lecture modules, group design project and research project. PgDip students undertake the lecture modules and group design project and PgCert students only the lecture modules.

Students must attend a total of ten weeks of lectures during the course on a modular basis. Lecture modules last for one or two weeks full time. Modules are as shown below:

The course is completed over three years and consists of three elements: taught modules, a group design project and an individual research project. The course has two teaching streams - engineering and manufacturing. All students attend the five mandatory modules, participate in the group project and undertake an individual research project. Students select optional modules from their chosen teaching stream.

Taught modules:

Students must attend a total of 10 weeks of lectures during the course on a modular basis. Lecture modules last for one or two weeks full time at Cranfield.

Mandatory modules:

Preliminary aerospace vehicle design; tools for integrated product development, major component design and structural layout; methodologies for integrated product development; manufacturing

Optional Modules (Engineering Stream):

Finite element analysis; aircraft performance for aerospace industry managers; loading actions and aero elasticity; fracture, fatigue & damage tolerance; design and analysis of composite structures, avionic system design, aircraft systems; introduction to aircraft structural crashworthiness; detailed stressing and detailed design practice, flight dynamics.

Optional Modules (Manufacturing Stream):

Consultancy tools 1, Consultancy tools 2, manufacturing in action, manufacturing management, manufacturing in context, manufacturing technology 1.

Group Design Project:

Students work together as a team to progress a project from initial concept to manufactured hardware.  Previous projects have included the modification of the A1 aerobatic aircraft to a two-seat configuration, and design and production of turbo-jet powered unmanned air vehicles.

Individual Research Project:

Students will complete a significant piece of individual research as part of the course. The project may be theoretical or experimental, and will be selected in association with the students sponsoring company to deliver results that are of relevance to the company, as well as meeting the academic requirements.

Assessment:

Examinations, assignments, group project thesis and individual research project thesis.

Entry requirements:

1st or 2nd class UK honours degree, or equivalent, in an engineering discipline. Other qualifications may be acceptable if supported by a substantial period of relevant work experience.

English Language Requirements - Our normal minimum requirement is a TOEFL score of 580 (paper test) or 237 (computer test), essay rating 4.5 or 92 (Internet test), all skills 19 or an IELTS 6.5 with 6.0 for writing, a TOEIC overall score of 830, or a Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English grade C or Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English grade C, although a number of our programmes require higher scores.

Funding:

For details of any bursaries that may be available please contact the Enquiries Office on the details shown below.

Want to know more?

Contact our Enquiries Office for further details, E: enquiries@cranfield.ac.uk, T: +44 (0)1234 758008

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